Grand Willys Project

[Penguintas]

Looks good enough to paint.

Great job as usual.
DG

[Gojeep]

Hope to now be able to start getting some quotes.

[Gojeep]

Got the final video of the tonneau build and of it operating.

https://youtu.be/lfFi5MwOxbg

[Gojeep]

Last modification of the year and maybe even the whole build! Thanks to all that have followed along with some even from the start over 10 years ago!

Happy new year to everyone and may next year be better than ever.


Last thing I wanted to change on the build is swap out the Narva LED headlight for some Hella H4 inserts. I fitted these same ones to my Hilux 40 years ago! #1058. The singe headed arrow means it is for left hand traffic, or RHD vehicles. I need this so it is approved for use on our roads. No arrow is for LHD's and double headed arrow is for either side. You can see the lens fluting is asymmetrical to make it dip to the shoulder of the road away from on coming drivers. https://www.hella.co.nz/en/about-us/...-combinations/


I have had good results fitting these particular LED replacement for halogen globes/bulbs in other vehicles including my Jeep Cherokee. They mimic the position of the halogen filament the best and even have the same chrome shroud over one set of them. https://www.stedi.com.au/copper-head...rsion-kit.html


I was also able to still use the dust boot by feeding the cable, with the driver disconnected, through the hole before spreading out the heatsink braid.


I also fitted a set of replacement LED's for the little parker/position light so they are nice and white too.


So here are the Narva headlights which look too modern in my eyes and clash with the rest of the body looking more period.


First new headlight fitted and can see the difference in the look.


The beam pattern on the left is the Narva LED headlight and the right is the Hella with the Stedi LED globe/bulb fitted.


The biggest difference is that the high beam is actually higher and brighter than the Narva where there is little difference between high and low.


With the upslope to the drive it is harder to see but the Hella on the right, even on low beam, looks brighter with little stray light.


High beam with still the Narva on the left and the new Hella/Stedi combination on the right.


Both lights now changed and looking more in harmony with the rest of the outward appearance of the Willys.


Both Hella/Stedi combination light patterns on low beam.


Both Hella/Stedi combination light patterns on high beam


Low beam still shows nice cut off and better light to the side.


High beam is higher and brighter. If I had a LHD I would have gone one of the Retrobright series LED headlamps. https://www.holley.com/products/elec...g/retrobright/

[Gojeep]

My Truck is a calendar model now! 🙂

I was fortunate for my Truck to be picked by the Old Willys Forum members to be one of the 12 for their new calendar. https://www.oldwillysforum.com/.../O...ar/OWFcal.html Can still order them, ignore Dec date as was for before Christmas delivery, and can order up until the 27th of January I have just been told.

[Gojeep]

I've added up the amount of TIG welding on just the panels alone, and came to an incredible 75 meters or 250 feet! That is 1.5 times the length of an Olympic Pool that was welded, ground, planished flat and sanded smooth. No wonder it too so long.

[Gojeep]

The symmetry of the front has always bothered me due to the number plate being offset. Some details get worse over time and others don't bother you at all as time passes, this was the former!


Thought maybe it would look better mounted in the centre, but to what? Idea came to me to repurpose a stainless grab handle and picked one where the mounting flanges unbolted. Can then use the threaded bung to mount it to the Willys from underneath.


Just the bar on its own actually looks quite good! I thought the tube size might be too large, but think it suits the proportions of the front end.


Mocked up to see if it would look any good.


Also thought that the next size up in length might be better, so offset it to see where one side would end up. It would be the same width as the grille.


But one day I would like to change the plate for a slimline and then the extra length didn't look as good. Stated getting too crowded around the recovery hook.


The shorter one looks good with the slimline which is the size of the cardboard mock-up piece.


Rather than welding it on, decided to use nutserts so the backing plate can be changed for the smaller size later on and also leave a small gap for the water to drain out.


Countersunk stainless screws hold the backing plate in place.


Plate fits right over the screws and the mounting holes were drilled and tapped for the screws.


Just a small detail but already looks better with the standard sized plate.